THE MACHINE-GUN EXPERT

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3222, 9 January 1917, Page 2

THE MACHINE-GUN EXPERT

THE NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IN INDIA.

Ever since the war broke out "Charlie" Monro, as he is generallycalled in Army circles, has been hard at

Appointed a divisional commander under Sir John (now Lord) French fit the beginning of hostilities, he was one of the generals who directed the series of splendid rearguard actions fought by the small British Army all the way from Mons to the Marne. Then, in the early days of September, when the British andf French turnoc? at bay and drove the Germans back almost from within sight of Paris, he was again conspicuous, but in the front this time, not in the rear. Later on he succeeded General Sir Tan Hamilton in the command of tho Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and in this caapcity he was responsible for that wonderful withdrawal of the British Army from Gallipoli which has been truthfully termed one of the biggest successful bluffs in the history of war. IN CHARGE AT GALLIPOLI. Supposed competent judges had estimated the probable casualties of the evacuation at ten thousand. General Monro re-embarked his entire force?; with only negligible losses, and right',' under the eyes of the Turks, who, how- > ever, were so completely deceived that* they continued *"ihefling our empty trenches for several hours after the last man had been witfßlrawn. General Sir Charles Carmichael Monro, K.C.8., to give him his full title, is ? 'Scotsman, and has to his credit thirty-seven service. The youngest son of the late Henry Monro, of Craiglockhart, Midlothian, he was born in 1860, and is thus five year* younger than Sir Beauchamp Duff, whom he succeeds in India. He qualified for the Army at the ago of nineteen, and was gawtted to tho old 2nd Foot, now the Royal West Bur rev Regiment. He first saw active service in various "little expeditions" tlirected against the turbulent hill tribe* dwelling across the North-Western frontier—notably, the Mohmand and Tirah affairs. Next the South African War brok* out, sand for three years he fought and toiled with his regiment in the long-drawn-out series of hostilities, including tho relief of Kimberley and the Paardeherg and Driefontein operations.

NEVER GETS FLUSTERED. He left South Africa as a lieutenantcolonel onlv, and brevet rank at that, but with a reputation for soldiermg that gained him a position on toe staff on his return home. He was appointcl Chief Instructor to the School or Musketrv at Hythe, a job after his own heart.- Subsequently ho command od a brigade in Ireland. Sir Charles Monro is one of the chifT machine-gun experts in the BritVi Army. Long before the war brok< nut when he first went to Hythe in fact, he realised the enormously important part this "invention of the devil' quote Sir lan Hamilton's words w-h going to play in any future war on a really big scale, and he urged his Views oil the Army Council. Had thev been acted upon, fully and unreservedly, things might have been different toFor the rest, " Charlie" Monro is one of those quieF, self-contained men who never allow themselves to be flurried or flustered. He knows his mtnd, he knows his men, and, as a strategist should, he always starts 1 out prepared for as many sorts of failure a« there are chances of success